There were two practice sessions for the opening round of the 2025 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia. Earl Bamber Motorsport’s Marco Giltrap topped the first and O’Keeffe the second, also fastest overall.
In warm 26 degree temperatures under mostly cloudy skies, Giltrap edged out reigning champion Harri Jones by 0.043s in Practice 1 while O’Keeffe was third in front of Bayley Hall, David Russell, Glenn Wood, David Wood, Sumich, Bloxsom and Marcus Flack in 10th.
In Pro-Am, Sam Shahin led the way from Matt Slavin, Matt Belford, Rodney Jane, Brett Boulton, Danny Stutterd and 2024 Pro-Am title holder Adrian Flack.
There was a slight temperature drop by Practice 2, but it was more humid. The leading times were quicker with four into the 1:29s after a best of 1:30.0872 by Giltrap in P1.
O’Keeffe’s best was a 1:29.7160, 0.07 better than Giltrap while Lockie Bloxsom was third ahead of Oscar Targett who won Porsche Sprint Challenge last year and leads the Porsche Michelin Junior class.
Clay Osborne was fifth in the second session, ahead of Caleb Sumich, Glen Wood, Hall, Max Vidau and Dale Wood. Shahin again led the Pro-Am runners with Belford, Adrain Flack, Slavin and Stutterd next.
Round 1 Qualifying will take place at 12:35 pm on Saturday with Race 1 at 5:20 pm.
TYREPOWER V8 SUPERUTE SERIES
Team Motion Racing were off to the perfect start in the first race of the season with the Isuzu D-MAXs of Aaron Borg and Adam Marjoram first and second.
The 2023 champion Borg outpointed polesitter David Sieders (Mazda BT50) to lead from the outset and was never seriously challenged over the 9-lap duration.
Marjoram was fourth in the early stages behind Jayden Wanzek (Mitsubishi Triton) and ahead of Cody Brewczynski (Toyota Hilux). The five quickly opened a gap on the remainder of the 23 car field as Marjoram warded off Brewczynski and proceeded to pass Wanzek and then Sieders near the end.
Craig Woods (Hilux) and Ryal Harris (BT-50) headed the next group and traded places twice before contact at Turn 8 spun the former. Harris had a further moment at Turn 9 with Jimmy Vernon (Triton) that cost him more places.
Brewczynski ultimately displaced Wanzek for fourth while sixth in the end was Adrian Cotterell (Holden Colorado). He was in front of David Casey (Triton), Rossi Johnson (Colorado), Holly Espray (D-MAX), Jason Norris (Hilux) and Harris who would be penalised 15s.
The V8 SuperUtes will be on track twice on Saturday, with races at 12:00 and 3:30 pm.
DUGGAN FAMILY HOTELS TOURING CAR MASTERS
Jesus Racing’s Andrew Fisher has qualified his Holden Torana A9X fastest for a second time in TCM.
He did his fastest time on Lap 3 of 6 completed and was 0.19s ahead of Whiteline Racing Chev Camaro driver Joel Heinrich. Third quickest was category debutant Jude Bargwanna in the Holden Commodore that Adam Garwood took to overall victory last year.
Quickest in the earlier practice session, Heinrich’s Camaro teammate Scott Cameron was next, in front of Jamie Tilley (Ford Mustang), Ryan Hansford (Torana) and Cameron Tilley (Valiant Pacer).
On his return to the category, Steve Johnson was next in Russell Handcock’s Mustang, and ahead of Marcus Zukanovic (Ford Falcon XD) and cousin Danny Buzadzic (Torana).
Before Race 1 at 4:00 pm on Saturday where Fisher will be on pole, there will be the traditional Trophy race at 1:25 pm. Approximately half the grid is reversed, and points are only awarded for starting and finishing.
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